


Magic Circles

by RoseTinting



Series: Magic Circles [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2020-06-29 07:30:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19825411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseTinting/pseuds/RoseTinting
Summary: If you're going to mess around with magic, make sure you're well rested. And for the love of everything, don't summon demons.





	1. Origin of Sin

Deidara's hand almost started to shake drawing the magic circle in the middle of his living room. He managed to keep it steady and suppress the yawn rising up. Skipping out on sleep for the past two days just for research probably hadn't been a great idea but Deidara couldn't stop now that he was so close even as the sun dipped below the horizon spreading an orange glow over everything. An especially strong earth spirit was necessary since he'd been asked to create a guardian for... who again? Deidara stopped writing to contemplate that before he shrugged it off. He'd gotten so wrapped up in this he couldn't actually remember who he was doing it for, summoning a powerful earth spirit was very exciting and would be quite the accomplishment. Watching it burst from it's clay form would be even more spectacular... Deidara's favorite part about earth spirits was how they exploded their vessels when dismissed. He'd done it on more than one occasion for clients who didn't want to pay for the upkeep. A witches skills weren't always valued by others so sometime they thought they could get away with not paying. The look on their faces when proved wrong was always hilarious. Deidara finished writing the runes in the circle, so he took a couple steps back to double check it. Unfortunately it seemed the lack of sleep had made it so he couldn't really tell what he'd written, everything was looked sort of blurry and his eyes refused to focus on any one thing in particular. Well, it was probably fine since he didn't usually make mistakes. The statue he'd made to house the spirit sat looking suspiciously judgmental in the center. 

"Hey," Deidara growled pointing at it, "Don't look at me like that, I know I should double check. But the sooner I finish this the sooner I go to sleep. It'll be fine. Probably. Definitely. Hm." He looked down at the spell book on the floor. It's not like he'd be able to tell if he'd written everything correctly anyway with his vision like it was. He chose to ignore that he'd just yelled at a currently inanimate object since that should have been a sign to give up and check everything after some rest. He went ahead and picked up the rose he'd chosen as an offering to the spirit. Research had revealed that the stronger earth spirits preferred to be offered roses when a witch was trying to tempt them onto the material plane. Something about it being the perfect symbol of nature, beautiful and... pointy. Pointy sounded right. Especially since Deidara had only just realized one of the thorns had embedded itself into his right palm. He put the rose down in the circle next to the statue and inspected the tiny hole he'd managed to put in his hand. A small amount of blood was beading to the surface, but it wasn't something that needed to be dealt with at once. It didn't even hurt when he placed it on the edge of the circle either, so he was reassured his concentration wouldn't break from this very minor injury. He held his left hand out to the statue pointing his palm toward it to channel the spirit from the earth to the clay and began to intone "the rites of command". This stupid long process was the worst part of being a witch. Everything took too long for Deidara's taste. At some point during the prayer he began to notice that something was off, the stocky little bird he'd meant for the vessel was beginning to crumble and turn an odd brown as if it was somehow burning from within and the rose in front of it had started to wither away. Fire was actually starting to spurt out from the cracks in the clay which was especially concerning but he didn't dare stop. Whatever he'd just managed to call would have free reign if he didn't finish now so he carried on. Hopefully it was just a fire spirit, he'd had them show up before since they were fairly mischievous and curious. When a pure white human hand shot up from within the sculpture Deidara knew he was in trouble. The hand slammed on the ground as the rest of the creature started to haul itself out fire still spewing out from around it. A hole had seemed to open up in the floor leading to nothing but spiraling flames which left Deidara to wonder if this was just a portal or if his downstairs neighbor was suddenly having a very bad night. The carefully crafted bird statue was definitely a lost cause now since in it's place something was hauling itself out of the floor. The rite of command was finished as the man completely pulled himself out and into the center of the circle. He stood, brushing himself off and looked around.

"Well, I wasn't expecting this. Doesn't look like much of an evil witch's lair." The demon said, one eye brow raised high. He seemed to notice his summoner for the first time which was frankly just irresponsible. "Hey are you okay? You kinda look like shit." Apparently summoning a demon took more energy then Deidara had available, because that was the last thing he could remember.

Deidara woke up in his bed during what he assumed was the following morning since he could feel the sun on his face, and for a moment he was hoping he'd only dreamed of the demon with white skin, red eyes, two horns jutting out under jet black hair, and scars all across his right side. But when he opened his eyes it was standing over him expectantly. He followed his first instinct which was to grab the pillow next to him and whap the demon with it.

"Whoa! What's with that? I was so nice and put you to bed when you passed out!" The demon complained grabbing the pillow before it could make contact. "Which... was entirely your fault. Did you even mean to summon me? You look prrretty clueless."

Deidara pushed himself out of bed since it didn't seem like this demon was going to do anything but annoy him to death. "How do I put you back, hm?" No point even letting this demon entertain the idea he was going to be allowed to stay.

"You die." The demon replied with a wide grin, displaying sharp fangs. "So I'm right. You fucked up. What were you trying to do?"

Deidara closed his eyes and tried to breathe like someone who was completely calm and not about to try to pick a fight with a monster from hell. "Are you sure that's the only way?" He walked back out to his living room to inspect the circle, trying to figure out what went wrong and if he could fix it. It all seemed to be in order as far as he could see.

"Am I? Yes. I'm sure. You should know that I couldn't lie to you, you wrote the damn contract."

Deidara smiled at that, satisfied with himself. If you couldn't be sure something else wouldn't pop out in the circle it was important to prepare for everything. His circle on inspection did indeed state that what he summoned would have to tell him the truth, couldn't hurt him, and would obey commands. Earth spirits were naturally inclined to Deidara, he had the same energy as them which meant they wouldn't cause problems. Any other kind of spirit sometimes liked to slip in and cause a little mayhem. You only wanted a lightning spirit to get loose in your apartment once. Or never. Really never. There were still scorch marks on the ceiling so he wasn't getting that deposit back. "So I'm stuck with the world's most annoying demon?" He stopped inspecting the circle frowning at a small speck of dark red on the edge of the white circle, most people would have missed it since they didn't have Deidara's incredible eye for detail. 

"Yeees. I just don't understand how you so royally fucked this up. How do you accidentally summon a demon? I mean I hear about people getting killed by demons they tried to summon but they tried to summon them. You just-" He was interrupted by his own laughter. "You just bumble into getting saddled with a demon for life?"

"What do I call you?" Deidara asked trying to once again fight the urge he had to punch this thing in the face. Were all demons this chatty and annoying? With all those scars it wouldn't surprise Deidara to learn the damn thing got them for annoying a bigger demon.

It stared at him for a few moments, apparently annoyed, before speaking, "You're no fun. My name is Obito Uchiha."

That took Deidara by surprise. "Demons have family names?" he asked finally looking up at his new roommate. This was going to take some getting used to but he resolved to make sure it wouldn't be for long. No one who summoned demons lasted for long anyway.

"I do." Was the only response.

Deidara scratched at the chalk markings on the floor, taking the small spot of his blood off before he reached for the chalk and fixed it. "What are you doing?" Obito asked stepping forward to try to see.

"Trying again. I don't get paid if I don't have the spirit to hand over, hm. Go get one of the roses from the vase in the kitchen," Deidara instructed him waving one hand toward where they were.

Obito turned around to look before he turned back. "Uh, why? You realize you're stuck with me, and you have it set up so you can use me without backlash. What's the point playing along with society when you can make your own rules?"

"Nice try. Go get the rose hm," Deidara told him a little more sternly this time. "I'm not falling for that. What kind of idiot do you think I am that I'd let you turn me into your pawn."

There was that annoying smile again. Something about it just wasn't genuine, like Obito was really just baring his teeth rather than expressing joy. "The kind of idiot who summons a demon when he didn't mean to? HEY." Obito managed to catch the chalk before it hit his face, much to Deidara's disappointment. "Is this going to be a thing with you? Throwing things?"

"I would have punched you if you were standing closer," Deidara grumbled before he went back to his bedroom for more clay. He had to make a new vessel for the spirit he was summoning, since the last one was in pieces and burnt to all hell. Haha, hell. When he returned he found that the rose had been left on his coffee table, and Obito was nowhere to be found. A clink in he kitchen revealed that he'd just gone back in there. "What are you doing?" Deidara peered around the corner suspiciously.

"You have no food here. So you don't sleep and you don't eat. How are you alive right now? Do you take care of yourself at all?" Obito didn't sound like he had when he was mocking Deidara. He actually seemed a little concerned.

Deidara ignored him completely, instead getting to work fashioning a new bird for his task. He loved the feeling of the clay in his hands and let it soothe him. When his new sculpture had taken shape he positioned it carefully in the center. He also replaced the rose with great care not to stab himself with a thorn again. He was starting to suspect that although the blood had been such a minuscule amount it was the reason things had gone as badly as it did. He'd heard witches summon demons using blood sacrifices. He was pretty sure if they were it was unnecessary since a drop seemed to be all it took. He heard Obito in the kitchen say, "Ah, there's something edible." and wondered if he should stop him or just let it happen. He hadn't really considered that demons ate food like humans and was really not looking forward to having to feed someone else. Deidara pushed these thoughts aside to focus on the task at hand. He had a guardian to make so he could pay the bills. This time as he repeated the ritual it went as expected with an amber light enveloping the clay before slowly being absorbed into it. The bird seemed to shake itself to life before it wobbled up to Deidara into his waiting hand.

"Thank you," Deidara told it as he brought it in close for inspection. He heard a scoff from the kitchen which pissed him off. Maybe he was just hungry but this demon was getting on his last nerve. Then again maybe he was still tired because he hadn't really felt what he should feel ever since Obito had appeared. He should be terrified or something like that, yet he felt he was mostly just about ready to shove Obito down a flight of stares. The stupid bastard probably wouldn't even be hurt by it though so it was wasted effort. Might still be worth it. He gently placed the new guardian into his bag and sought out his phone to call... whoever. He'd have to find the voice mail they left to call them and let them know it was ready. Hopefully they planned on paying, as much as Deidara liked to watch the sculptures burst into bright light he also needed, as Obito so tactlessly pointed out, to eat. 

"Here." Obito's voice broke Deidara's thoughts and made him look up from his phone. Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Think of the devil in this case, he supposed.

"What the hell am I looking at right now, hm?" Deidara asked squinting at the... mess... in front of him. At least it was a mess in a bowl and not everywhere else.

"Well with your incredibly random assortment of ingredients, seriously what is wrong with you, I made some thing that I promise tastes better than it looks," Obito said with no small amount of pride creeping into his previously careless voice.

"What uh. What did you put in it? And why did you make it?" Deidara wasn't going to let this one go it was too weird. First it was teasing him now it was feeding him? And the food was way too suspicious.

"You haven't eaten yet right? I assume you were going to just run off to deliver that immediately." Obito observed Deidara's incredibly angry face and nodded with a stupid smug expression. "Yeah that's what I thought. You know this is how you passed out, and it's how you managed to get yourself stuck in a demon deal."

"I didn't make any deals," Deidara snapped back as he snatched the bowl. He looked at the contents with great scrutiny. "Why is it slimy." It wasn't really a question since he wasn't sure he wanted an answer. He didn't get one either since Obito just silently handed him chopsticks. He took a cautious nibble and was relieved to find it tasted better than it looked. He guessed he shouldn't be surprised if demons weren't concerned with trivial things like presentation. If Deidara was going to have this guy in his house for a while however he was going to have to learn since Deidara was not about to let any more monstrosities like this occur. Food should actually look good, cooking after all is an art and he wouldn't have any sub-par art in his home.

“Tell you what, think on what kind of deal you want. Money, power,” Obito gave Deidara a skeptical look before the last suggestion, “Women?” That sounded too much like a question for Deidara's liking. “Think about it. You don't want to cater to rich men forever do you? It's a waste of your talent. You've got plenty of time to consider things of course.”

The way he said that made it sound like a lie, like he couldn't wait for a bargain to be struck. Deidara was going to have to stealthily look into what happened with demon pacts without tipping off the church's peacekeepers that something was up. They were always ready to start slaughtering witches the moment they suspected any demons were summoned even if it had been unintentional. Such a search may lead to some clues as to how to dismiss demons as well since Deidara refused to believe it couldn't be done some way other than the summoner's death He just had to ignore the doubt growing in his mind that the only reason he was calm... was because he wanted this, after all the demon was right.

His current life was a waste of his talent.


	2. Nail the Coffin Shut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few days after Deidara inadvertently summons the world's most annoying demon, Hidan arrives to deliver some rather unsettling news about Sasori

Deidara impatiently drummed his fingers on his kitchen table as he flipped through yet another page of the old book he'd managed to smuggle out of the local branch of the church's library. Getting in there had been enough of a pain in the ass but getting out with this massive volume that'd been under lock and key was certainly worse. Obito looked curiously over his shoulder to see what he was reading and snorted when he saw.

“Are you still trying to get rid of me?” The demon asked dryly, “You must be the most stubborn mortal I've ever met. Most would have given up and taken the power by now.”

“You would think” Deidara grumbled slapping the book closed and fanning away the resulting dust cloud, “with how easy it is to accidentally summon a demon they'd offer instructions on how to **not** do it or at least how to unsummon one, hm. Either fear made the church stupid or they actually want us to stumble into it so they can burn us all.”

“Would that surprise you?”

Deidara sighed and turned the book over in his hand. It was old and as evident from the spiraling clouds still threatening to make him sneeze incredibly dusty, which he found slightly concerning since it had been the only book there with information about demons. Did they not even bother educating themselves? “No, I guess it wouldn't surprise me. They make things hard enough for witches, hmm.”

“Which is exactly why you should go rogue and use me to topple the very unjust church!” Obito proclaimed with a wiggle of his eyebrows, “It'll be fun! We'll bond over the destruction of our enemies and learn about true friendship.”

Deidara weighed the book in his hands as he wondered if it'd hold up after getting hurled at an obnoxious demon. It probably wouldn't so he set it down and turned around to frown at his 'guest'.

“What? Well it was worth a try. You are being very boring. Just make a pact already!”

Deidara was about to smack him when there was a rapid knock at the door almost like someone was taking a hammer to it. Deidra quickly stashed his pilfered tome under the couch in the living room before going to look out the peep hole. His heart felt like it stopped when he saw the peacekeeper's uniform only to then realize it was just his warden, Hidan. He turned to tell Obito to hide but he was already gone. Where the demon had stood was a large white-throated raven with it's head tilted quizzically. Of course he could shape shift, Deidara had just read about that and yet it still surprised him to see it. A little more reassured that he wasn't about to be hanged and burned Deidara opened the door. The church's methods were as barbaric as ever when it came to handling rogue witches even with the treaties drawn up.

“Hey, Hidan what's up? Why are you still in uniform anyway?” Deidara tried to keep his voice casual. Like someone who didn't have a demon in his living room. “We're not scheduled to meet for another week.”

“We have to talk,” Hidan said with uncharacteristic seriousness which made Deidara fairly sure he was about to die. Whether for summoning a demon or being a thief he wasn't sure. Though his next words were more reassuringly in character if the news itself was still upsetting, “They just fucking cut Sasori's heart out.”

Deidara moved quickly out of Hidan's way as he choked out a “WHAT?”

“Sh! Shut the damn door,” Hidan hissed and plopped down on the couch. He gave the raven an annoyed look. “When did you get a familiar? And why would you choose such a pussy ass animal?”

“You don't think ravens are cool?” Deidara shut the door carefully. “I mean granted that one in particular is an asshole but they're usually very intelligent birds.” Obito puffed up his feathers, whether in pride for the insult or annoyance Deidara couldn't be sure. “No, not the point. Who cut Sasori's heart out... and... why?” It couldn't be real, it had to be some kind of sick joke. Hidan had a terrible habit of making these kinds of things into jokes. If it wouldn't have gotten him time in the prison Deidara would have punched Hidan long ago for several of his pranks.

“Ech. With what he did to himself I guess it was the only way to be sure he stayed dead,” Hidan explained with attempted indifference. He was failing miserably which surprised Deidara, since Hidan didn't usually seem the type to value life. “They told me I need to go talk to you, since you two were so close.”

Deidara felt like he was going to be sick, Sasori had been something almost like his friend. Even if they mostly argued about proper vessel methods his company had been welcome just to break the silence of solitude. They never did hang out at his place, since it was full of those creepy puppets and dolls Sasori favored. “What did he do?” Deidara was fighting to keep his voice level since the last thing he needed was for Hidan to tease him for getting emotional.

“He turned himself into one of those creepy ass dolls. And we think he was making human sacrifices, there were even a few puppets that match missing persons from the last three months.”

Why. Why would anyone do that. Deidara closed his eyes and sat down hard on the couch next to Hidan. “What did you need to talk to me for, Hidan?”

The other man shifted uncomfortably and distracted himself trying to pull on the feathers of the raven who was surprisingly compliant about it, playfully snapping at Hidan's fingers and cawing softy. “Well, about if you're involved in anyway. And if we can take a look around your workshop for any signs of demon usage. The thing is... we're pretty sure he had to be using a demon. But there wasn't one with him so someone else had to have summoned it, all witches he was in contact with are under suspicion.”

Deidara looked at Obito who ruffled his wings and cocked his head. Was that supposed to mean something or was he just trying to act like a bird? He was probably being unhelpful even if it was a message Deidara decided, so instead of worrying about that he gestured widely at his apartment. “Hey, be my guest. I work from home you know that, hm.”

Hidan groaned as he stood up, grumbling about having to do work. He paused for a moment to look back at his friend. “I'm gonna be a little annoyed if I have to take your head y'know, you were actually starting to grow on me even if you're kind of a little bitch.”

Deidara didn't like Hidan showing that kind of emotion, even as laden with insults as it was. Anything but rage or joy of destruction was weird coming from him it just wasn't like him to get sentimental. “Don't worry about it Hidan, he was messing with things he shouldn't have been.” Just like he was. A thought occurred to him that this could be his chance for information. “Hidan? What if you find the demon?”

“Kill the witch get rid of the demon,” Hidan said with shrug. “Nice and simple. I love my job.”

“Uh, yeah that's great, man, but what if you find the demon and not the witch, hm?” Deidara tried not to consider if Hidan would take this as an admission of guilt.

“Guess I fuckin die then, only way to get rid of the things is kill the witch that called them. Why?” Hidan had been looking in the kitchen cupboards but he'd leaned over to give Deidara a narrow-eyed look. Did he really think he'd find a demon in there? The last place Deidara would keep a demon was next to his snack food.

“Just... curious I guess?” Deidara gave Hidan his best 'everything is fine' smile and Hidan turned away to keep looking around so he probably bought it. Deidara was grateful Hidanwas his warden, and an oblivious idiot at that. Hidan was moving for the bedroom and Deidara tensed reflexively at the thought of someone in his room without him.

“Who's this clown?” Obito asked, his normal voice coming out of a raven's beak was almost funny.

“Oh my god shut up, do you want him to hear you?” Deidara snapped, “Could you just sit there and be quiet like a normal ass bird?”

“Ravens aren't quiet!” Obito protested, “And they can talk if they're trained!”

“They can't speak in a normal voice like that! Why do you have to do this? Shouldn't you be a dignified and menacing beast instead of this annoying and goofy little-” Deidara was interrupted by Hidan walking back in and giving him a weird look.

“Uh, are you yelling at your bird?” Hidan didn't actually sound like he wanted to know the answer, which was insulting enough from the guy who'd yelled obscenities at a couch cushion for being too comfortable. “Nah, you know what? Not my business. You tell that bird who's boss because as far as I'm concerned the place is clean. Stay out of trouble Deidara.”

“Yeah, yup, sure, what ever you say.” Deidara sprang up to get the door and just about shoved Hidan out of it.

“Don't forget we still have to meet next week for-” Deidara didn't let him finish the sentence before closing the door in his face. He was going to get an earful about that later but Deidara didn't care, he needed time to process what he'd just learned.

The demon was back, sitting on the couch's armrest with his hands gently folded together. He looked like he was waiting for something. Of course he was, Sasori was dead and he'd been a friend even if he had turned out to be a murderous monster witch. Now what? Keep toeing the line? Before he had a chance to say something Obito beat him to it. “Are you really going to just sit back and let them treat you like less of a person for something you were born with?”

Deidara looked down at his hands and breathed in shakily. “What Sasori did was monstrous. It has nothing to do with me and now they know that.”

“Do they? You have no way out but death or a deal. If they find out you have a demon they aren't going to help you or even give you a chance to explain. Chop heads off first and ask questions later isn't that how the church rolls?” His smile was decidedly unpleasant. “Or are they still hanging and burning people?”

“And you think I should what? Become your minion? How is it better to be enslaved to you, that's what I don't understand. You just want me to replace them with you.” Deidara snarled back. “This is fine. I'm getting by. If I keep my head down and follow their dumb rules I'll manage.”

“You're wasting your natural talent. Deidara I don't want to control you,” Obito's voice had dropped into a purr, “I want to help you. I want revenge. For you. For all witches forced into poverty. And I could make it so easy for you if you'd just let me. We can change this, all we have to do is not get caught until we're ready. And you're in luck because I happen to be the best at not getting caught!” His smile was all sharp teeth now.

Deidara watched him for a moment before letting his eyes slide over to the front door. He thought about Sasori, now heartless. He thought about the death he was just holding off while trying desperately to find a way out that no one thought existed. And he thought about the way people treated him. The disrespect to his art. “You're suggesting... a revolution? You can't really free just one person without changing the whole system.”

“I suppose so, yes. I can probably help you find some like minded witches.”

Deidara walked back to the couch, stopping in front of the demon. “You said you could make me more powerful, how?” Deidara hadn't thought it was possible for that grin to get any wider. He might be making a mistake. He didn't care anymore. No matter what Sasori had done it was the system that drove him to it. He always seemed so lonely that Deidara had made a point to hang around if only just to argue. Whatever it took, things were going to change. And he was going to be the driving force even if it meant becoming a monster in the process.


	3. Paved with bad intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Covens may not be a thing anymore... but capitalism still found a way to monetize witchcraft and bring them together. It's enough to fill any artist with disgust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is shorter than planned!

The building loomed imposingly ahead and Deidara was about ready to turn around. He hated this place, it was the least artistic place imaginable and it tore him up inside that Obito had insisted on it being necessity. The raven on his shoulder was fluffed up in the cold of the morning air watching people walk by with a nervousness to his every movement. Or maybe Deidara was just projecting his own anxieties as he trudged up the stairs to the offices of Arcane Dawn. Deidara hated everything this place stood for and here he was about to meet with a recruiter. He'd argued for a while on it, he was a freelance witch he didn't need someone breathing down his neck all the time. But his demonic companion made it clear that for their partnership to work Deidara would have to comply with these stuffy assholes. This place was going to make him wear a suit and do research for them it was no place for an artist, even Sasori who was the most anal witch Deidara knew had refused to go here. Not even promises of consistent pay had tempted them in. But a demon's promise for societal change certainly tipped the scales.

“Just raise up in the ranks,” Obito had told him, “And don't get caught. That's why we're doing this before I give you anything.”

Deidara wondered privately if maybe Obito shouldn't be there at all but maybe being there as his 'familiar' now was less suspicious then suddenly having one later. When he reached the waiting room it was blessedly empty though unfortunately the secretary's desk was too. Obito gave him a peck on the head before flying over to one of the waiting chairs and cawing softly which Deidara was pretty sure was supposed to be an indication to sit down. Still he hated being ordered around when they both knew he was the one in charge, and that certainly wasn't just a lie he told himself to feel better about the situation. He sat down in the chair next to the one Obito had indicated and gave him a pointed look but Obito didn't react due to being a bird. He was only seated a few moments before a beautiful blue-haired woman walked in from a door behind the desk and noticed him almost immediately.

“Are you Deidara? We were just setting up the testing area, you're a little early but you can come on back.” She opened the tiny door cutting off the waiting room from her modest office as she spoke, gesturing for him to follow her.

With a glance at Obito Deidara stood, waiting only for the raven to flutter up to his shoulder before proceeding. The woman didn't say anything about the bird but she did eye him appreciatively as Deidara walked by. “My name is Konan, I manage the front desk. If you have any questions in the future, feel free to ask me.” She gave him an encouraging nod as she opened the door to the rest of the offices for him.

“You uh, seem pretty confident I'm going to get in,” Deidara noted trying to keep any edge of suspicion out of his voice.

If she noticed anything off she didn't comment, instead replying, “We've heard of you before, you're a bright young lad and we're just happy you finally came to us. You'll do great. Just keep walking until you get to the end of the hall, the door should be open.” 

The door shut as Deidara entered. There really wasn't any turning back now not that he'd planned to necessarily but it was nice to have options. This place couldn't be any creepier, it was a long dark hallway with nothing but candle sconces to light the way leading to flickering shadows across every hall. All in all Deidara found the whole thing cliché, and he was the one who had a raven with him. “One black cat and I'm out of here, screw the plan,” Deidara grumbled under his breath. Obito made a sound somewhere between a caw and a laugh. He had an odd sense of humor, Deidara had discovered. A little morbid at times but bordering on the ludicrous.

“I know they're a little stuffy and predictable, but you'll get used to it when you see the paycheck probably.” Obito wasn't being reassuring if that was his intent, since Deidara didn't care about money. He only cared about the _art_ and this was not a place that was going to encourage that. But before he could inform Obito that this soul-sucking office was actually the death of all art and there was no way he could possibly enjoy himself here... they came into the testing room. The place could only be described as cavernous and Deidara had to take a few moments to give the whole place a once over. There were only two doors and one was the way he'd just come through. In the middle of the room was a dip, with stairs leading into the space it created, and on second look Deidara realized it was a huge circle for summoning. If he was reading the runes from his distance right it was for summoning and immediately dismissing, which was where a man was waiting for him. He hadn't even looked up from his clipboard when Deidara entered. He kept his eyes on the papers even as he spoke.

"Deidara? I'm Uchiha, Itachi. Please center yourself in the circle and we'll begin."

Uchiha? Deidara have Obito a suspicious look but the bird was suddenly more interested in the rest of the room. He would have to interrogate Obito later about why he'd withhold something like that. It was too much to think about and still focus on the assessment so he did his best to push all thoughts about the implications out of mind. He decided to instead focus on how annoying it was that this guy didn’t seem interested at all in the interview with his flat expression and dull tone. His dark clothes and moody demeanor fit this place and the stereotype of a witch perfectly and Deidara would be lying if he said it didn’t piss him off. Even if the long black robes perfectly matched the woman from before, she had somehow managed to wear them in a way that was much more subtle.

The first test was as Deidara predicted as the boring man instructed him to summon the strongest spirit possible in the provided circle. Without his clay figures and an offering it proved a little difficult but he still managed to conjure an earth spirit which lazily lumbered around the circle making the whole floor vibrate. Deidara glanced at his interviewer and was disappointed (and annoyed) to see he looked as impassive as before.

As the various tests to summoning ability proceeded Deidara knew he excelled at everything, but Itachi’s face never changed. Not even the slightest hint that he was impressed. Deidara had to keep control of his temper before it blew up, quite literally. The only thought during the end of the interview that kept him from losing it during the final assessment was that if he pulled this off Obito would help him surpass the limitations and he could wipe that infuriatingly blank expression off this man’s face.

“Congratulations,” Itachi said flatly handing Deidara paperwork, “You’ve passed. Your performance was adequate, I look forward to working with you.” Deidara snatched the papers but only glared in response. If he opened his mouth nothing nice was going to come out of it so he bit his tongue.

On arriving home Obito burst back into his demonic self to hug Deidara tightly. So tightly he couldn’t breath or squirm free, “You did awesome! Look at this! They already have you starting as a level three caster! That’s going to save so much time moving up.” 

“LET GO, HM.” Deidara did his best to kick at Obito to no avail, but he was still dropped promptly with Obito giving him a nervous look.

“Sorry, I got carried away. So um, look about Itachi,” Obito started but Deidara heard the name and now that he didn’t have to keep calm for the sake of infiltration.

“UGH what was his problem? He could show just a little emotion, hmm!” 

Obito looked at him for a moment a little perturbed. “Well, I was going to explain why we have the same family name. You shouldn’t spend too much time dwelling on his behavior, my cousin has always been like that.”

That caught Deidara’s attention as it implied that either Obito had been mortal or Itachi was also a demon. The latter meant Deidara could easily get rid of him but he suspected it wasn’t the case. “Your cousin? How does that work, exactly, hm?”

“I don’t really want to explain how. I was human once, I’ll leave it at that.” His nose wrinkled in a way that could have been cute. “It’s ah, better not to mention my name in the organization okay? We’re trying to stay under the radar. I don’t want to lie to you but I’m not ready to share the details with you of how this happened.”

Deidara looked him over, turning the doubts around in his mind before pushing them aside. It was easier to trust Obito even if it wasn’t wise. “Sure. So I can pulverize that guy right, hm? Or are you close?”

Obito snorted with laughter. “I won’t stand in your way, when I’m through with you he won’t be able to either.”

As ominous as the phrasing made it sound Deidara was looking forward to it. Spite was his greatest driving force and as much as he despised the system it was better to have a more tangible enemy to inspire him to do better. Even if doing better was making deals with devils. “Alright, just show me what to do, hm.”


	4. Fall From Grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turn your back on everything it's time to give yourself up

Deidara resisted the urge to throw his tea cup at the wall. Short bursts of tantrum wouldn't do him any good against these intruders.

  
"You have too many note books, what do you need this many notebooks for?" Akatsuchi complained rifling through Deidara's piles of notes on summoning techniques.

"What so your old coven isn't good enough? But that... that Arcane Dawn corporate bullshit is?" Kurotsuchi demanded with a scowl, arms folded across her chest as she glared at the uniform tossed onto the coffee table. Deidara hated that she was right, almost as much as he hates the dark haired man eyeing him with a grin, having apparently forgone his usual raven form in favor of a human appearance. He'd seemed amused when the two troublemakers burst in uninvited interrupting Obito showing Deidara the circles they'd be using for the ritual. Deidara had opted for the less murder-y one, that was how Sasori got caught, even though he found the alternative a little distasteful and frankly cliche.

"You didn't pay me," Deidara pointed out instead, "I'm just tired of getting by okay?"

"So come home!" Kurotsuchi insisted desperately, "You don't have to live in this shitty apartment. You have a place with us!"

"I'm not interested in doing things the old man's way, he has no interest in progress."

"Meddling around with the established ways is dangerous, Deidara, he has those rules for a reason, you could end up summoning a demon!"

Obito chuckled at that and Deidara shot him a glare. It didn't deter that shit-eating grin unfortunately.

"And who is this?!" Kurotsuchi pointed at Obito in distress. "He hasn't said a word this whole time! Didn't even introduce himself, rude."

Deidara decided not to point out she herself had burst in and launched into angry tirade upon seeing the dark robe with an embroidered red cloud on the back. "You're right though, hm. It's tacky isn't it? You didn't really think I was going to take such a job seriously? They have no artistic vision. But they do have a pretty good library."

"Hold on." Kurotsuchi's anger dropped and she plopped herself down next to Deidara on the couch. "Is this just so you can do more research? You're such a nerd! I should have known you wouldn't try to find a life outside of learning."

Deidara gave Obito a hard elbow to the ribs when he started to laugh again. "You could stand to learn a better technique, I seem to recall someone setting the altar on fire when sh-" Kurotsuchi cut him off by smacking a hand on his mouth.

"Sh! If Akatsuchi hears you he'll tell grandpa! You promised to take the blame for that!" She hissed with a furtive glance towards her brother.

Deidara pushed her hand away, satisfied to have changed the subject now. "Ah, he'll still think it was me. What were you visiting for anyway? Just to try to drag me back again right?"

Kurotsuchi was staring at the scrawled at circles Obito had been working on. "Uh, yeah kinda... hey what are these? They don't seem to be for summoning- WAIT who is he?" She seemed to remember Obito was there and resumed looking him up and down in disdain. "Is HE one of the Arcane Dawn too?"

Obito gave her his best doofy grin and responded with, "No, I'm just his boyfriend." Deidara hit him again and he corrected himself, "OW! What I was clearly kidding! We're just friends. For now." This time he was ready for Deidara's reaction and dodged his fist... only to be kicked in the shin. He doubled over in what Deidara assumed was mock pain for the benefit of the guests as he hadn't reacted to worse acts of violence before.

Kurotsuchi clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Oh you sure can round up the suitors huh? Guess this one got in through your academic interest am I right?"

Deidara wasn't sure what suitors she was talking about so he just shrugged and conceded. "Sure, that's what happened. I'm not going to tolerate such shameless behavior for long though." He gave Obito a warning look with the last sentence and Obito pretended to respond with sheepishness. He slipped into the role of a buffoon all too easily for Deidara's liking and it made him nervous. Especially when no one else seemed to notice it was only an act.

Kurotsuchi narrowed her eyes at Obito for a moment and Deidara didn't like the smile that followed. "Well, I won't interrupt anymore then! Akatsuchi! We're going!"

"Aw what? I didn't even get to talk to big bro! You hogged him the whole time!"

"Don't be a child!" His younger sister told him as she ushered him out the door.

"Those two," Deidara said feeling tired, "Are going to be what really kills me. If their grandfather doesn't first."

"They're your family?" Obito wondered watching them go from the window.

"What? No I'm not related to those weirdos! We just grew up together."

"Hm. And you live alone." Obito was starting to sound concerned and Deidara didn't like it.

"Drop it. I mean it. It doesn't matter, hmm. We have work to do."

"Right." Obito laughed but this time it was humorless. "Work. You really are kind of a nerd aren't you? To think of what comes next so coldly."

Ignoring the heat in his cheeks Deidara tried not to think about what he was going to have to do he instead reminded himself what he was doing it for. Revenge, curiosity, and perhaps more importantly to be recognized as someone worth more than a shitty apartment in the shadier side of town....

With just a few more explanations to the symbols they were using, as Obito had spent the last hour giving Deidara a rundown on demonic languages, the demon finally deemed that they were ready for the ritual. Deidara insisted on checking his work, investigating the circles painted on his two hands. First his right, then his left, and finally Obito painted one on Deidara's chest, a little to the left of his heart. The entire process was boring, horribly intimate in a way Deidara hated, and it sort of tickled as the bristles off the brush touched against bare skin. Deidara had insisted on not completely undressing even though Obito said it would easier, but he'd had no choice but to go shirtless since one of the circles used for the ritual went there. Deidara finished checking the notes Obito had given him and sighed, setting them down. "You know, you wrote the notes. As far as I know, if this is a trick I have nothing to really fact check you with."  
"Fair, but I think you're just nervous because you're a virgin." Obito said teasingly, setting the ink and brushes to the side as he looked around at the circle he and Deidara had made on the secondhand rug he'd had Deidara retrieve. A semi-perment circle was necessary as the ritual would have to be performed multiple times, Obito had explained that they had to do it incrementally to keep suspicions away.

"Am not," Deidara said with a frown at Obito. He didn't think people were falling over themselves in desire like Kurotsuchi claimed, but he wasn't really new to the whole thing either. "I don't know if you noticed, but you're a demon, hm. Not exactly known for their honesty."

Obito grabbed hold of Deidara's wrists and pulled him in close. "That may be true, but I can honestly say I've been wondering what it'd be like to kiss you since I clawed my way out of hell."

"Charming," Deidara mumbled, before Obito's lips stopped any further comment. He didn't exactly hate letting Obito take control, though his stomach still twisted in anxiety at what was coming. It wasn't that he was dreading being with another man this time, he'd done it before, but he'd never taken the submissive role for it. When Obito broke the kiss and went to bite Deidara's neck, Deidara cried out in both alarm and excitement, deciding it might not be so bad to try after all.

* * *

He hadn't hated it. While still breathless he'd allowed Obito to pick him up and carry him to his bed. He also didn't push Obito out, when he climbed in as well, resting his chin against Deidara's shoulder and making him the little spoon. Deidara was really just too tired to care, between his test earlier in the day and the stress of his surrogate family dropping by unannounced that last bit of activity had left him feeling drained. "I'm gonna push you out if you get annoying you know." Obito didn't respond, unless Deidara was supposed to take his tightening grip as a response. Deidara was already drifting off when Obito did finally speak.

"I'm putting a lot of trust in you, you know. Don't let me down. I can't take it again." Deidara didn't know what he was talking about, but he didn't ask. He was asleep by then.

Deidara woke up alone and stretched. He was sore in several places and groaned in frustration. The floor wasn't going to work, it needed padding. Or would increased magical energy make him weirdly immune to pain like Obito? Maybe Obito was just good at tuning it out, Deidara couldn't be sure since the bastard didn't seem to like talking about himself. Deidara remembered the ink he'd had on his hands and quickly checked it, worried it might have smudged everywhere. A pink tongue poked out almost like in greeting from his palm. Deidara shouted in surprise and fell out of bed as he tried to escape his own hand. Obito poked his head in, the door opening wide enough to accommodate the horns.

"You okay in here? Were you thrashing around in your sleep?"

The frilly apron Obito was wearing didn't suit him at all but Deidara didn't have the mind to even wonder where he got it. He just stuck his hand up and pointed accusingly at the mouth that snarled in defiance. "The HELL IS THAT, hmm?!"

Obito looked too indifferent to the sudden mutation for Deidara's liking. "Oh, that's not what mine did. Interesting."

"What YOURS did?!" Obito was already backing out of the room calling back something about breakfast, but Deidara didn't have time for such distractions. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT YOURS DID? OBITO."

* * *

Obito seemed to have lost his usual playfulness as he sat opposite Deidara at the table. Deidara scowled at the cheerful omelette. It did not have an ounce of thought toward presentation to it. While the past month Deidara had seen Obito eat with cheerful abandon, this time he had nothing in front of him as he stared blankly down at the table. Deidara was finding himself to be somewhere between annoyed that his questions weren't being answered, and concerned by the sudden silence in the demon who'd made such a big scene before with his jokes and more recently... shameless flirtations. While the two emotions were battling it out in his brain Deidara strangely found himself appreciating that at least now Obito was making things that actually looked like food. He took a bite despite his disdain for the appearance and when he was satisfied that it was edible he took another.

"Mutation is normal," Obito said breaking the silence between the two of them. Apparently he was encouraged by Deidara not being able to respond with food in his mouth. "I didn't realize it could be like that without intention behind it. Only my cells changed when I went through it."

"You uh," Deidara didn't know how to finish the thought, so he kept it vague, "did this too?"

Obito thankfully read the subtext and Deidara could see the faintest smile at the corners of his mouth. "No, I made sacrifices. At least, technically. The demon killing anyone counts as a sacrifice." Obito trailed off and went back to his moody silence staring at the table. Deidara had the distinct impression Obito hadn't commanded the murders and decided not to question that any further. In a sick way it was actually almost a relief to him, something about the ritual had seemed so profoundly intimate he didn't really like the thought of Obito having done it with anyone else. Given his surprise at the nature of the mutation, and the fact he'd only compared it to his own from his time as a demon Deidara felt he could safely conclude he was the only witch to summon Obito as well. Thinking back, Deidara remembered Obito saying he was good at not getting caught. Was becoming a demon what would happen to him eventually as well? Deidara was intrigued by the thought of investigating the demon realm.

"I won't treat you that way," Obito whispered the words so quietly Deidara almost didn't catch them. "I'll keep you safe."

Deidara poked his eggs thoughtfully and told Obito, "I don't need a protector. We'll keep each other safe, okay?"

That annoying, adorable smile was back. "Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry oh gosh we had to stay vague I can not write a scene like that and was interested in keeping this fairly safe and not too graphic! Hopefully I'm forgiven for being a tease? If not it's alright... teasing is my specialty anyway?


	5. Give 'em Hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you can't get along with your coworkers it's okay, they'll all be ants beneath your feet when you topple the government and structured religion anyway!

Deidara tugged his finger-less glove down and didn't look up from the paperwork he was angrily filling out as he responded to Itachi's offer. "I don't take instructions from someone who looks like they crawled off the cover of a bad vampire romance novel," He growled at the other man, "And I don't need help practicing, I do enough of it on my own time thank you." Did enough of it didn't seem right, he couldn't seem to get enough of Obito. Deidara shoved that thought out of his head as fast as possible, it was the power he wanted not the demon.

Itachi's face remained as carefully neutral as ever and so did his tone. "There's no need for that, It's just something we offer to all recruits who've been here under a year."

  
"In three months, I already became the same rank as you," Deidara informed him, pushing his papers away in annoyance since it didn't seem he'd be able to focus on them anytime soon. "So don't act like you're better than me." Obito had been deeply proud of Deidara's progress. They were ahead of schedule for their plans already, as Deidara's hands seemed to grant him the ability to bypass the need for a circle and directly channel his magic as he willed. He still used circles within the company for safety's sake but the power behind it was much greater.

  
"I'm not trying to act better than you," Itachi said trying for a soothing tone, which only grated on Deidara's nerves more. If there was anything he hated more than someone acting like he was lesser it was being treated like a grumpy child.  
"Fuck off, Uchiha, I'm trying to work."

  
"That behavior isn't conducive to a positive work environment Deidara." Itachi informed him before retreating. Deidara rolled his eyes but returned to his paperwork instead of trying to think of a comeback. He'd have a hell of one later, when he brought the whole building down. Anyone who thought it was a good idea to bring paperwork into witchcraft deserved an eternity of torment. An eternity sounded infinitely boring, something Sasori would have liked maybe. He would have preferred to be practicing summoning, truth be told, but his new method was a dead giveaway to what he'd been up to.

Obito pecked at Deidara's pencil, and cawed harshly at him. He was either trying to be annoying or communicate something. Deidara leaned back in his chair to check outside his cubicle. "I think he's gone, hm."

Obito hopped once and whispered back, "I need to show you something come on!" Before spreading his wings and taking off down the office. Deidara sighed as he grabbed his coat to follow. Did Obito always have to charge off like that? He followed the sound of wings down the winding hallways, he didn't understand why it'd look like an office building outside and a gothic castle inside. He finally found Obito perched on a doorknob, head tilted and watching him expectantly

Deidara glanced down both sides of the hallway before asking, "What's in here that's so important?" Obito flapped his way up to Deidara's shoulder and pecked his ear affectionately. Deidara tried the knob and was surprised to find it unlocked, he was expecting Obito to lead him somewhere he wasn't allowed. Stepping quickly inside he almost gasped. It was a library and it was _huge_. The unlocked door suddenly made more sense as most of the books in displays seemed to be in locked cases. When he'd taken the whole place in, Obito jumped off his shoulder and in a swirl of feathers had become his "human" form. "What are you doing? You could be seen, you used to work here didn't you?"

"Don't worry about it," Obito said walking quickly down one of the rows, "No one comes in here, I used to uh... well I spent a lot of time here. With Zetsu."

"Don't know who that is," Deidara grumbled though he wasn't very interested in the face of so many other mysteries he could solve Obito's later. He still didn't know how the man had become a demon though he had his suspicions. He didn't mind the thought of becoming a demon himself, but he doubted that was Obito's plan anyway. After all if Deidara became a demon they'd both be sent right back to... wherever demons came from. Deidara refused to believe in hell because that would give too much credence to the church for his liking. He decided to drop the subject in favor of investigating the wonderland Obito had brought him to. "What are we looking for here?" He really hoped the answer was to just go nuts but he knew there'd be time for that later.

"We're looking for... this!" Obito snatched a book off the shelf and brought it over. "It used to be in the case, but since no one really checks I switched it with one on the shelf a while ago. I even swapped the covers in case anyone observant came in." Obito stroked the cover of the book gently looking nostalgic. "I'm glad no one noticed it while I was gone. Most of what's in here I've already summarized for you but there should be more on demons and how they're summoned. I didn't get far enough in before... well before I was betrayed." Obito frowned at the book and set it at one of the reading tables. "Zetsu was a demon I'd summoned and he's the reason I am one now."

Deidara nodded trying to look like he was concerned and sympathetic though he found himself not caring about Obito's mystery finally unraveling in the face of such tantalizing knowledge. "Oh... well I'm glad you're not turning me into one?"

Obito laughed and gestured for Deidara to sit which he did eagerly grabbing at the book. "You're very transparent. But I appreciate your trust in me, even when I make it hard."

"Honestly it just sounds like you went through a traumatic experience and you're sharing it with me at your own pace, that's fine." Deidara hesitated before opening the book. "Actually I feel kind of bad, I haven't shared anything personal with you at all."

Obito covered his mouth and turned away. "Don't worry about." His voice sounded a little emotional. "If you feel like sharing later that's fine."

Deidara grinned at him and gently opened the book, stroking the pages reverently. "You're kind of a crybaby aren't you, it's kind of a cute trait for a demon. So where do we start?" Obito turned back to him quickly and pointed at the chapter titled 'how to free a demon' before moving his finger down to the next chapter called 'how to return a freed demon'.

"That's where I last left off." Obito explained. "I'm not sure how useful it'll be since it seemed to imply a demon can only be returned if it's not attached."

"Well you could use this to free it and then send it back," Deidara pointed out.

"Ah I... actually I hadn't thought about that." Obito tapped his chin with a frown. "Still some of the later chapters are about ways you can become a demon, or force someone else to be one." Obito cringed a little just talking about those ones and Deidara felt he could safely skip over them for now, he might revisit them later out of curiosity alone.

Deidara lost himself in the texts, fascinated by knowledge that was certainly forbidden by law. It was mildly concerning that the Arcane Dawn had such a book to begin with, as it surely should have been burned by the church hundreds of years ago but knowing it was supposed to be locked away helped a little. Hours passed without Deidara realizing it and his head still felt fuzzy when he felt Obito, back in his raven form, pecking at his hair to get his attention. Glancing out the library's window Deidara realized it was already evening and time to punch out. "Ah, shit, I forgot about that paperwork." He closed the book carefully and slipped it back where Obito had put it. Looking at the title he realized why no one else had picked it up and noticed. "You switched the cover with... an erotic art book? Why did they even have that?" Obito's only response was a croaking laugh.

Deidara slipped out of the library, carefully shutting the door behind him and almost jumped out of his skin at one of his coworker's voices. "Oh, I didn't know you could read newbie."

Deidara didn't even bother trying to pretend to like this man, scowling at what was in his opinion an even worse want-to-be vampire than Itachi. "I wouldn't expect you to know anything about me at all, when I can't even remember your name, hm." Obito cawed with laughter in response, he'd expressed distaste for this man before.

"It's Oroch-" The man started to say but Deidara cut him off.

"Sorry I don't have time for introductions maybe some other time." He whirled away before the guy could respond, only catching the words 'rude little brat' as he hurried back to his desk. He only had to make a couple more signatures and he could turn in his papers and be done for the day. He'd never been great at turning in homework on time but he had to make the effort for this job to keep getting better positions. His talent with magic may have been unquestionable but deadlines were something else. Leaving his now completed paperwork in the outgoing bin he could finally leave.

"I swear I'm going to blow that whole place up one day," Deidara informed Obito on the way home.

No one else was around to hear him so Obito answered. "I won't stop you."

* * *

Hidan was waiting inside Deidara's apartment when he got there.

"Where the fuck have you been? We had an appointment an hour ago." His warden complained.

"Work? We talked about this three months ago Hidan, the schedule changed, hm. Do you have to forget every time?" Deidara tossed his keys on the coffee table and paused to let Obito off his shoulder. "Do you want any tea?"

"Keep your nasty leaf juice to yourself, heathen. I forgot you took up with that stupid coven."

"It's not a coven Hidan, it's a business. And it's just for the money, they needed more researchers for safer magic." Deidara started filling the kettle with water, he wasn't nervous lying about his reasons anymore. By this point it was well rehearsed. "But it's been for a while, are you okay?"

Hidan wasn't looking in his direction when he looked around the corner into the living room, he was staring at Obito who was trying to look like a normal bird preening it's feathers. "I'm starting to wonder about **you** , you suddenly get a familiar and start working with stuck up fuckers who think they're above the church? I liked you better when you were a starving artist."

That was an interesting showing of concern on Hidan's part as he usually didn't want to talk about Deidara's life at all. It was usually a standard appointment where he'd look through Deidara's spell components and research notes goofing around the entire time. "You have a lot of experience with the other witches at the Arcane Dawn?"

Hidan grunted and turned his attention to Deidara finally. "You met that bastard Kakuzu? He's insufferable he keeps coming to the church to complain about the taxes and the embargoes on countries that don't restrict their witches. Like we can do trade with a place that lets people run free like that even if the ingredients are harmless and cheaper!"

Deidara grinned back at him. "Kakuzu may be the only person there I like, he ignores me, hmm."

"You don't like any of them?" Hidan sounded a little surprised.

"Blech, no. C'mon man you know me, like I could get along with those upper class types?"

"...But you like Kakuzu?" The question was almost innocent enough, but Deidara had gotten good at picking up Hidan's mannerisms.

"Sorry, I don't know him well enough to know if he'd want to fuck you."

"I didn't say that!" Deidara had to catch one of his throw pillows as it was hurled at him and was just glad Hidan hadn't had a cup of tea in his hand. "Get your mind out of the gutter you little shit, I'm not into some crusty old witch!"

Deidara tossed the pillow back more carefully. "If you say so, hm. I'll start paying more attention for you though, hmm?"

He took the answering scoff as a yes. "Let's just get on with making sure you're not a psychopath."

When Hidan had left, Obito returned to his demonic shape looking thoughtful. "How hard would it be, to change your warden to our side of things?"

"Next to impossible unless his god came down and commanded it, hm." Hidan was strangely devout as much as he rebelled against other people he seemed to hold nothing but reverence for the actual religion.

This news didn't seem to deter Obito at all as he answered, "I'll see what I can dig up about it, past translations could prove useful."

All things considered, Hidan's apparent crush on the Arcane Dawn's treasurer could also prove useful. "What about Kakuzu? Did you know him before?"

"Eh? No I don't think he likes talking to anyone. He'd just come by and yell at anyone who was costing him too much money. So, you know, I mostly just got yelled at."

"Really?" He supposed he shouldn't be surprised considering Obito's personality but he had a hard time thinking of a demon as anything but deadly and serious. The thought of him actually being the lovable goofball with confidence issues didn't fit with the more mysterious allure being a demon held. "I'd get in trouble a lot with my old coven. Sometimes it was actually my fault, but usually I'd just cover for the younger two. They're not as used to being in trouble, hm." Deidara sat down on the couch with his half empty cup of tea and Obito settled down next to him.

"Ah yeah, I'd mess up all the time or be really late coming in."

Deidara found himself studying Obito's face, whenever he spoke of the time he was human he looked so wistful. An idea was beginning to form in Deidara's mind about changing Obito back. He clearly needed to be a demon for the plan to work, but afterwards Deidara didn't see any reason he had to stay one. Changing things in this country were important, and possibly in others as well, but Obito's happiness had to matter too didn't it? Deidara was pretty sure that if there were spells for turning someone into a demon there had to be ways of reversing it as well. For now he decided it was better to keep Obito's mind off the sadder subjects. Something had been on Deidara's mind since the library and he was itching to know Obito's thoughts since he seemed to feel the same way but wasn't bringing it up.

"Hey, Obito? I know we're supposed to be working on a revolution and it's... not wise to get involved with your coworkers." Obito was staring at him wide eyed, crimson color creeping in to shade his cheeks red. "But lately I just feel like I, well I love you."

Deidara wasn't the least bit surprised when Obito fainted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one jumped around a little! Sorry about that. This concludes this part of the series, and soon I'll likely begin work on part two.


End file.
